Beyond the Goblin City
by Tick-Tock Dearie Tick-Tock
Summary: Three years since the occurrences in the Underground, and Sarah finds herself with clues to lead her back, all of them involving Toby. Now she must reenter the Labyrinth and face the Goblin King once more. JxS
1. Intro

Prologue

Toby toddled down the hallway, with a happy shriek escaping out of his little mouth. Finding his destination, he plopped himself down on the mat and began to curl his thin little fingers around the tattered teddy bear. Drool had stained him over the months, and one of the eyes was in threat of being dislodged from the bear's face. It was a poor fate for dear old Lancelot, but Sarah watched her brother play with the toy with a small smile. The night that had occurred a little over a three years ago now, all seemed like such a distant and beautiful dream. Perhaps that's all that it really was after all, _just a dream…_

A gurgle came from the floor, glancing down at Toby, she could have sworn that he was not as he seemed. Sarah could have sworn that instead of his creamy skin, there was something much more textured. A mixture of brown and green. She blinked harshly, looking at the toddler again. Nothing about him was out of the ordinary. His skin was normal, the drool was the same, his big round blue eyes looked up at her for a brief moment-holding it longer then a baby really should. Sarah's brow furrowed for a moment, but Toby had already looked away, and was now chewing on Lancelot's ear.

Sarah shook it off. She hadn't gotten much sleep the previous night, and that was obviously the cause of her delusions. Looking down to her lap, she focused back on the book that was resting there.

Jareth sat lazily in the throne of the circular room. The noise around him was drowned out by his own anger. The anger that had filled him ever since she left. She had humiliated him. That was not part of his plan, she was not supposed to win. But she did. Well, she had escaped at least. The war between them was far from over. He had rebuilt his power, his strength, his rein and his castle. He had rebuilt it all, and now it was time to make her pay for it all. All he ever did was what she asked of him. He loved her. He was willing to be her slave… and she so cruelly rejected him. She had torn him down in the most literal sense of the word.

His entire kingdom had changed, because of her. There were no longer articulate structures that he once found to be so glorious. Replicas of his own being. Stairs, hidden corners, oubliettes. Gone. All gone. All of it came tumbling down the moment she uttered the words, _you have no power over me_. The labyrinth's walls were crumbling, only held together by the power that he could muster to keep them together. Though, that was failing too. Any spell that he had cast, was fading in its power. The glamour that he had placed on Toby, was growing weaker, soon his ploy would be discovered.


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One: You Remind Me of the Babe.

Once again, it was Sarah to watch Toby whilst her parents were out to a nice dinner. Only now, now she didn't mind so much. He didn't cry as much as he did, though he really didn't much of any kind of noise. Children his age should be making small, probably somewhat incoherent, sentences; but Toby wasn't. He sat quietly and played with his toys, his big blue eyes staring much too intently on the world around him. As if he was waiting for something.

People usually commented what a well behaved child her baby brother was, but he always seemed to worry Sarah. Worry her in a way that chilled her to the bone. They had taken him to doctors and speech therapists, and nothing. No one could figure out why the little blonde curly head boy remained silent. And even beyond the unexplainable affliction that her brother had, Sarah loved him and protected him with all that she was worth. Ever since that dream, she would watch over him like a hawk, not wanting him to get whisked away by some unknown force.

"Let's go for a walk, okay Toby?" Sarah had said, leaning down to the little boy, her long silky brown hair falling forward, creating a dark curtain between the two of them. As predicted, Toby said nothing, but stretched his arms up, to be picked up by the young woman. Hoisting the three year old up, she balanced him on her hip while she walked down the stairs and to the living where she set him down to prepare his stroller.

It was when she was strapped in his stroller, and Sarah was putting on his shoe, that she had to pause. The bottom of the young boy's foot was rather leathered. The rough patches seemed too old for a three year old's rough-and-tumbles. She ran her thumb over his heel, only to draw her hand back when small flakes of skin snowed down in her hand, revealing something much darker underneath.

"Ugh!" She exclaimed, wrinkling her noise, and quickly shoving Toby's foot into the shoe. Wiping her hand on her jeans promptly afterwards. It was then, that a strange gurgling sound came from the toddler. Sarah looked up at him, in a brief moment in panic. With a shaking hand she examined the little foot again, her mind jumping to so many reasons, before her own eyes could really comprehend what they were seeing.

"Woof!" The baby shrieked, giggling profusely. A thick string of drool trailed down the soft chin of the boy, his blue eyes sparkling in the light. It was the first word he had spoken clearly. Woof. Complete and utter nonsense. Sarah looked around the room in anguish, calling out a name that she hadn't uttered in over two years… long after she had convinced herself it all really was "just a dream".

"Hoggle? Hoggle… I need you."


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two - I Move the Stars for No One 

Putting a gloved hand over his eyes, he sighed, pointedly ignoring the goblins chasing after the god forsaken chickens. It was just one more thing to annoy him today. The throne room hadn't been altered too entirely, after Jareth had to use what strength he had to rebuild it. It was the one room, that he couldn't afford to change. It was the meeting grounds for any official business that went on within or around the Kingdom. How would it be to see it so drastically changed, after a mortal had left him there? One may even go as far as to suspect that he had actually developed _feelings for the girl. No, he couldn't have. He was not that weak. Certainly, his plans on giving the girl powers in the beginning, backfired horridly, but it was only because she was too naive to understand what he was offering her. _

_Not at all a fault on his behalf._

_There was a sudden commotion in the atrium, bleeding into the Throne Room, as a barrel bellied goblin waddled as fast as he could before his King. _

"_M-m-my L-L-L-Lord…." The goblin sputtered, taking a deep bow, his dirty nose touching the stone floor before whispering, "The Wraith Queen is here." _

_The Wraith Queen. Antiana. She went by many names, The Dead Queen, The Ice Queen, The Dark Lady… and whatever name she had, it was always followed with the understanding that a visit with her would only insure a wake of cold bones and a heavy heart. She was the keeper of souls; the ones too afraid to pass on. She sacrificed and fed on those who feared her most, absorbing that emotion into her own power. _

_Jareth sat up in the circular chair in a start, giving the goblin messenger a grave look. Nothing good would come from a visit with her. _

"_Send her in." He said, solemnly. The goblin finally looked back up at Jareth, a sordid fear ringing clearly in his eyes, but he nodded, and disappeared through the door he had come from. Moments later, another figure filled his place. _

_She was a statuesque woman, with long flowing black hair, and dark eyes. At a distance, she was beautiful. The closer one got, however, they would find that there was a horror flowing under her alabaster skin. Her eyes were set too deep, as if they were sinking into their sockets, tinted ever so slightly, with the crimson splash of blood. Her lips curved too widely at the sides, displaying yellowing jagged and pointed teeth, the gums blackened with decay. Her fingers were too long and spindly to be anything natural, as if in a flick she could rip out a heart; and probably would. _

_The Goblin King stood to meet the Queen, bowing to her slightly, still keeping enough of a distance not to be engulfed in her aroma. He had smelt it once before, and there was no need for a refresher. _


End file.
